


rising sun

by ErjaStark



Series: Young Parents AU [1]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friends With Benefits, Idiots in Love, They are both in their early twenties, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Unplanned Pregnancy, because I crave young Tony content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:54:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25609210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ErjaStark/pseuds/ErjaStark
Summary: Their current 'relationship' works well enough for both of them, at least until news like these hit.
Relationships: Pepper Potts/Tony Stark
Series: Young Parents AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1856224
Comments: 9
Kudos: 59





	rising sun

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Moransroar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moransroar/gifts), [HogwartsToAlexandria](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HogwartsToAlexandria/gifts).



> I'm very tempted to make this into a series but for now, this is all there is to it. Hope you enjoy it!

Pepper is sitting on the bathroom floor when she finds out, staring down at the two blue lines, wondering what to _do_. The rational part of her brain, or whatever is left of that at least, tells her to take a deep breath and relax. It’s not uncommon for pregnancy tests to be wrong, she’ll have to take one more at the minimum to be sure.  
  
Besides, they are always so careful. Not only her but Tony as well - which tells her more than anything just how much he wants to avoid situations like this. She can’t blame him for it, even agrees with that. 

And all that is without considering what they are, or more exactly, what they _aren’t_. 

Their arrangement didn’t mean anything at the beginning. It still shouldn’t, although Pepper is too smart to think that that’s still the truth. At this point, she has accepted that her heart, as well as her mind, wants more from Tony than a simple friends with benefits relationship. 

But _this_ isn’t how she wanted it to turn into something more serious. It feels like trapping Tony in a situation he doesn’t want to be in. The fact that Pepper didn’t plan for any of this to happen seems to count for nothing. Honestly, she doesn’t even know how on earth this happened. 

She closes her eyes and thinks, blurry pictures of a party clouding her memory. She distinctly remembers having a few drinks too many, remembers Tony, just as gone as she was, pulling her away from the guests and towards a quiet corner at some point. She remembers his mouth whispering hushed words against her neck. 

It must have happened there but Pepper can’t be sure since the details about that night won’t come back to her, no matter how hard she tries to recall any of them. She could really use those for the conversation she’s about to have with Tony. 

She is, after all, a fact-driven person - and so is Tony. For now, she’ll have to do without those. The positive pregnancy test that she’s still clutching in her hand is all the proof she has and ultimately needs. 

Sitting on the cold tiles of the bathroom floor, her imagination comes up with an infinite number of ways that he’ll react to these news. It probably isn’t a good sign that every single one of them ends with Pepper on her own and Tony nowhere in sight. 

But once again, she can’t blame him for it. That doesn’t mean that she’ll be thrilled if he reacts in such a manner, nor that she’ll forgive him for leaving her behind but at the end of the day, the little voice in the darkest corner of her mind tells Pepper that he has a point. 

  
  


~*~

  
  


There is a lot of screaming happening. 

In the beginning, it comes from Tony, who is, as expected, not at all thrilled about what Pepper is saying (or trying to say since he interrupts her after a few seconds). First, he accuses her of setting him up, which is ridiculous. Even Tony himself seems to agree with that after only a few moments. Then, he tries to blame her for it. 

The problem with being a genius is that he can’t ignore the facts and when Pepper tells him that it takes two of them to be stuck in this situation, he reluctantly agrees with a frustrated sigh. 

Afterwards, she is the one doing most of the yelling and her reasons are just as valid as his. Even more so, given that he won’t be the one whose body will change drastically right as she’s finally gotten where she wanted to be. 

It takes Tony’s arm safely wrapped around her waist to calm her down. He’s shushing her, which makes no sense - at least until Pepper realises that at some point her screaming must have turned into crying. 

She buries her face in his shoulder and allows the sobs to break free. There is no point in holding back, not in front of Tony. He’s seen her at her worst and vice versa (and not that it’s a competition but his worst was a lot worse than hers). 

“I just don’t understand,” Tony keeps on saying, his words muffled by her hair. He sounds more confused than annoyed. She counts that as a win, even though it makes her an awful person. “We’re careful with this kind of stuff. How did this happen?” 

“Your party,” she chokes out between broken sobs. Her hands are clutching at his back, afraid that he’ll move away as soon as he has the chance to. Pepper doesn’t want to admit it but his arm is the only thing keeping her upright at this point. 

Tony makes a confused noise which is followed by a soft “Shit,” a few moments later. “I totally forgot about that night.” If the situation was any less stressful, Pepper would be insulted by that statement. “Well, I guess it is my fault then. I insisted on throwing that party.”  
  
“And filling me up,” she finishes, a forced smile on her face. She waits for Tony to make a comment about the suggestiveness of her statement. When he stays silent and only continues to rub her back, Pepper knows that he is aware of just how serious this all is. That, too, makes her feel a little better. 

The following silence is eventually broken by Tony’s soft whisper. 

“What are we going to do, Pep?” 

She barely has enough strength left in her body to shake her head. It kills her to admit that, for once, she has no idea how to handle this. Tony normally relies on her to be the rational one, to tell him when to stop messing around and get his act together - but right now, she’s just as lost as he is. 

“I don’t know.” 

“Do you… want to keep it?” 

Lifting her head, she brings herself to look at Tony. She must look like a mess but he doesn't look that much better with bags under his eyes that must have their origin from yet another long night in the workshop. His gaze is levelled and no matter how much Pepper analyses it, she can’t tell if he wants to hear one answer more than the other. 

But she’s had long enough to figure this one out.

“Yes,” she says, sounding more unsure than she wants to. 

It isn’t that she’s uncertain about her decision but more of Tony’s reaction to it. She has told herself that she won’t force him to be part of her life anymore if he doesn’t want to but that does little to calm the fear in the pit of her stomach. 

Tony doesn’t say anything for a moment, his beautiful brown eyes scanning her face for… something. Whatever it is he’s looking for, he must find it because the next thing he does is nod and tighten his arm around her middle. 

“You’re sure of this, aren’t you?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“Good,” he says and then he leans down to capture her mouth in a short but deep kiss. 

Of all the reactions Pepper has expected him to have, this one didn't even make the top 20. She expected anger, more yelling, a long and nasty argument but not this. Not this kind of… acceptance. It just goes to show that, even at 23 and after knowing him for more than 6 years, Tony still manages to surprise her. 

“Does that mean that you aren’t angry with me?”  
  
“Angry?” He cocks his head to the side in that adorable, almost dog-like, manner that never fails to make her heart beat faster. “It’s your decision, Pep. I know that my dad was an asshole that loved manipulating people but I’d like to think I’m different.” 

“You are,” she agrees because even at his worst, Tony is nothing like Howard Stark. He’s kind and compassionate where his father was cold and unyielding. The only thing these two seem to share is their intellect… and their rather odd facial hair. “But you didn’t ask for this.”  
  
“Neither did you,” he calmly explains while guiding her towards the nearby couch. They sit down together, Pepper still pressed against his side, not ready to let go just now. “I’m not going to let you go through all this on your own, Pep. We’re in this together.” 

“Tony.” 

There is so much more she wants to say but the words are stuck in her throat, refusing to come out. Perhaps it’s for the best. Pepper doubts that she can utter any of them without starting to cry yet again.

“Shush now,” Tony orders in a firm but kind voice. He turns on the TV, probably to distract them both from the life-altering conversation they are having, and makes himself more comfortable on the couch. “We’ll figure this out. I promise.”  
  
Despite everything, Pepper believes him without hesitation. 

**Author's Note:**

> If you have any requests, feel free to visit my tumblr @pepperonyspizza and drop them there!


End file.
